1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for feeding paper for use in electrophotographic copying machines and the like, and more particularly to a device by which a strip of copying paper stocked in the form of a roll is fed into such a machine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
With copying machines which use a strip of copying paper wound up into a roll, the leading end of the paper is nipped by a pair of feed rollers, which are driven with the operation of the machine to feed the paper into the machine by a suitable length, whereupon the paper is cut by a cutter and the feed rollers are halted.
The pair of feed rollers are held in pressing contact with each other as by a spring, such that even while out of operation, the rollers retain the leading end of the copying paper in nipping engagement therewith for a subsequent copying operation.
On the other hand, while the copying machine is in operation as when making a large number of copies in succession, the interior temperature of the machine rises to about 10.degree. C. to about 15.degree. C. with an attendant reduction in the interior humidity. Further while the machine is out of operation, the humidity varies owing to a marked reduction in the temperature during the nighttime, consequently subjecting the roll of copying paper within the machine to noticeable humidity variations irrespective of whether or not the machine is operated.
If the copying paper is subjected to such variations in temperature, humidity and like ambient conditions with its leading end nipped between the feed rollers, the paper will expand or contract, for example, owing to variations in the water content of the paper, whereas the nipped portion alone will be prevented from expansion or contraction. This produces wrinkles in the paper.